A complete feed mix for breeding rabbits—developed in collaboration with experts from the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources CZU and the Research Institute of Animal Production, public research institution—won the prestigious Golden Ear award at this year’s 52nd annual Země živitelka international agricultural fair. A CZU student also achieved success at the exhibition, winning an award for her pickled zucchini.
Prestigious Award for a Feed Mix Made at CZU
This innovative feed uses exclusively local resources and byproducts from the agri-food industry and, while maintaining complete nutritional value, significantly reduces the demand on agricultural land.
The granulated complete feed mix is the result of the project Optimization of Feed Mixes for Farm-Raised Rabbits Based on the Principles of the Circular Economy, a joint effort by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and the Research Institute of Animal Production. It is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Agency for Agricultural Research and runs from 2024 to 2028.
The basic principle of the new formulation is the use of so-called circular feedstuffs. The organic portion of the mixture consists of local protein sources and byproducts generated in the agri-food sector, which can replace traditional feed ingredients. The components used include, for example, rapeseed meal, corn bran, and corn grits. The mixture does not contain soybean meal or other imported feed ingredients, nor does it include phosphate salts derived from non-renewable sources. The solution is also protected by a utility model.
A significant benefit is the conservation of agricultural land. Compared to conventional feed mixtures, it reduces the need for arable land by more than 50 percent per kilogram of dry matter. At the same time, it provides breeding rabbits with complete nutrition, supports their vitality and milk production, and creates conditions for optimal growth and viability of the young.
“The mixture is composed of organic components consisting exclusively of byproducts from the agri-food industry. It is an environmentally friendly feed for female rabbits and baby rabbits,” explains co-author of the formula, Associate Professor Lukáš Zita from the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources at CZU.
During development, researchers are monitoring not only the environmental impacts of individual formulations but also their effects on animal productivity, lactation, feed digestibility, and health. The goal is to demonstrate that reducing dependence on traditional and imported feed ingredients need not come at the expense of production or animal health. The project’s results are intended to be useful to feed mix producers, by-product suppliers, livestock producers, consultants, and government agencies.
The success at the Země živitelka agricultural fair confirms the potential of the circular bioeconomy in animal production. In addition to reducing pressure on land and the import of raw materials, it enables the meaningful use of materials that arise as byproducts of food production. Thus, resources that were previously underutilized can become valuable raw materials for livestock feed.
Another Golden Ear Award Goes to a Company Led by a CZU Student
Another success linked to CZU at this year’s Země živitelka fair was enjoyed by Na gruntu Ltd, a company led by CZU student Pavlína Kuráková. The company received the Golden Ear award for its pickled zucchini. This success also demonstrates that the experience and knowledge gained at the university are being applied in specific business projects and in the development of high-quality regional foods.
The Ministry of Agriculture awards the Golden Ear award to the best exhibits presented at the Země živitelka fair. A panel of experts evaluates the submitted innovations in the categories of crop production, livestock production, mechanization, and the food and processing industries. A complete feed mix for breeding rabbits was entered in this year’s competition in the animal production category by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and the Research Institute of Animal Production, public research institution, jointly. Pavlína Kuráková’s pickled zucchini won in the crop production category.